Who we were

This is the us girls just after moving into the white house. We were going to be in the Christmas play at church. Mom, ever practical, made our costumes to double as pj's later.

I have read over some of the earlier posts and see that our childhood is sounding idyllic. I am sure that, compared to other's lives, it was. I seem to have forgotten to mention a few points, probably because I didn't realize then or now that they may be important to some people.

First, we were poor. I didn't know that for several more years. We had family with farms and orchards so we had food. Dad hunted, worked a day job, worked out of his garage and played in a band to make money.

Second, my Mom could sew. We didn't look poor, except by choice. It was hard to get us to dress up because we thought we had to be ready to play with the boys and you can't do that in a skirt. She made us lovely, matching outfits often. Usually they were for Easter and first day of school but she might see something she liked and just make them for us.

She was resourceful, too. The year poncho's were all the rage she bought one fine blanket in one school color and cut it into four ponchos that were trimmed in the other school color, hand fringed and sewed to fit each of us. We loved them and they were warm! She could stretch one pound of ground beef into a filling meal for seven or 10 people. No one left hungry.

All the grandparents chipped in to keep us in nice clothes. It meant gifts for holidays and birthdays were school supplies, socks and underware a lot. ICK!

We always had what we needed and so we didn't know we were upper lower class economically. As we got older the other kids let us know it, one way and another, but it only made us more secure in knowing we were just as good and smart as they were even if we were poor. We may not have had money but we had self confidence!

I still am only lower middle class but I don't reach for more money, I feel like I have everything I ever could want and treasure my contentment.